Breathe
by Hollywoodx4
Summary: "...She gathered herself from the cold tile floor, using the counter for support. She called his name back so he knew she was ok, and then hid her hands behind her back, opening the door." Overgron. Stand-alone or sequel to Dianna's Visit
1. Chapter 1

Chord threw his keys on the nearest table and shut the door of his apartment behind him. Scanning the room, his heart sunk as he didn't see the familiar blonde sitting in her usual chair in the living room. He moved to the kitchen, thinking that she had decided to leave and left him a note. Looking on the counter first and then the fridge, there was no sign of any sort of note. He was curious now, her two usual spots remaining completely unoccupied.

They had been living together for a while now, the transition a sort of blur. She began to spend so many nights at his apartment that more of her things were there instead of at her own apartment. This made the official move a lot easier, Dianna only having a few bags of her stuff left in her apartment. Nobody had noticed, either, which had become a blessing. Along with the press, Ryan didn't know either, and they intended to keep it that way. Ever since Dianna had come back from Tennessee, there was a clear difference in the way she carried herself. She was truly happy, head held high and a smile on her face. Her friends noticed, but she decided not to say anything to most of them. It was supposed to be a secret, after all, and telling everyone they knew didn't seem like such a good idea. They noticed the ring, though-that was sort of hard to cover up-but because it wasn't on the ring finger they never bothered to ask about it, thinking it was just another trinket she'd picked up on her travels. She'd never felt happier for that part of her reputation.

Of course Lea knew. Dianna found it nearly impossible to keep anything from her, especially since she was so persistent.

"_Where'd you get the ring?"_

"_Oh, you know, just in a little shop when I went on vacation." Lea rolled her eyes and got up from the couch, holding Dianna's hand to get a better look at it._

"_That's not something you buy for yourself, Di._

"_Why not?"_

"_Because I'm not dumb, someone else bought it for you…you're not getting married are you?" _

"_Oh god no, not now at least." Lea quirked her eyebrow and Dianna laughed, pulling her hand away from her best friend to examine the ring herself._

"_When he gave it to me he said that he _did _want to marry me someday. It's a promise ring." Lea squealed and Dianna just rolled her eyes playfully, smacking her arm and then stopping, putting on a more serious face. "You can't tell _anyone _though, we don't really want anyone knowing yet, especially with Ryan's rules." _

"_Middle finger swear." Lea and Dianna linked middle fingers and smiled, a sure sign of a promise not to be broken._

"Dianna?" He called her name and continued to their bedroom, poking his head in the second one before crossing the hall to theirs. She wasn't sleeping, and she wasn't looking for something in the closet. He sat on the bed in defeat, thinking of where she might be. Her phone and her purse still lay the way they had when they got back from work, so he knew she hadn't gone out. This moment of pause let light sound travel to the bedroom, and Chord looked up upon hearing it. It was little, a light shuffling coming from the bathroom. He moved toward the sound, calling her name once more.

From her place in the bathroom, Dianna froze upon hearing her name. She could hear his footsteps approaching the door and she gathered herself from the cold tile floor, using the counter for support. She called his name back so he knew she was ok, and then hid her hands behind her back, opening the door. She was met with his smiling face and a hug and she moved her hands around his neck to hug him back. Chord felt the weight of something strange on his back and he paused, pulling away from the hug. Dianna moved her hands behind her back again, but this time the action hadn't gone unnoticed by her boyfriend.

"…What's that?" His words hit her and she took a deep breath, gathering her strength and moving to their living room to sit.

"I have something to tell you."

He looked at the object in his hands in complete shock. Not knowing what to think, he turned it over and then looked up at Dianna, who was sitting on the couch across from him. Her reserve was crumbling, her head rest in her left hand while she bit her lip, looking anywhere but at him. He moved to sit next to her, wrapping her in his embrace. At that moment, the gift of silence was the best he'd ever given her. She was scared, and he knew that she needed to sort everything out. He let her cry, rubbing circles on her back in comfort. Breaking the silence only once, he spoke to her gently, not sure of what else to say.

"I'll be here for you, everything's going to be ok."


	2. Chapter 2

In spite of the night's events, the two still had to wake up early and head out to work the next morning. It was hard waking up, the night having stretched itself thin as they continued to stay awake, now clearly regretting the decision. The sun wasn't even up yet, the sky just starting to light with its early morning rays just barely poking over the horizon.

Neither of them talked as they left the apartment, Dianna holding onto his arm and leaning against him as they walked. They got to Chord's car and he opened the door for her, receiving a warm, shy smile from her that resembled when they had first started dating. The car ride started out just as silent, the rolling of tires on pavement joining with the quiet hum of the radio to be the only noises filling the car.

"What are we going to do?" He broke the silence, moving one hand from the steering wheel to cover hers. She looked over at him and then back out the window, watching the palm trees fly by them.

"I don't know."

When Chord and Dianna arrived at the studio, he pulled her into a gentle hug before they had to go their separate ways, kissing her forehead and moving in the direction of his trailer. She headed to wardrobe, greeted lightly by the girls who were working. She was the only one there, and she relished the silence for a while, scanning the rack of clothing for Quinn's latest outfit. Finding her character's nametag was easy, and she pulled on the hanger to reveal exactly what she hadn't been wanting to see-the Cheerios outfit. She groaned and slung the hanger over her shoulder, scanning the room for her shoes and jacket.

"Hey, what's wrong?" One of the girls from wardrobe, a spunky blonde with high spirits and an even higher level of attitude, came bounding over to Dianna when she saw her groan. Dianna turned and recognized her immediately. Her name was Carlie, and she was one of the nicer girls in wardrobe. She was the one that came over to fix the cheerio's outfits more than often, and Dianna was sure that that was her main job.

"Nothing, just a little down I guess. This outfit's not going to make me feel much better." Carlie rolled her eyes and handed Dianna her shoes.

"Oh please, you always look so great in it, what's so different about today?"

"It's a…long story. I'm guessing you'll hear soon enough."

"Trouble in paradise?"

"No. Wait…how the hell did you find out about us?"

"Easy enough." She scoffed and puffed up her chest in an action of mock self-centeredness. "Don't worry though, I'm just amazing at picking up subtlety. Nobody else knows, I don't think."

"Good." She paused for a minute, scanning the outfit in her hands in distaste. She had woken up feeling a bit lack-luster, the news making her feel as though she'd already gained all of the weight she'd have to gain soon enough. The morning led to body-image issues she normally didn't have-she had always been thin, it was in her genes-but today it was as if the whole floor shook when she walked, heads turning as they felt the vibrations of her feet against the linoleum of the dressing room. Dianna knew she had to shake the feeling off; she still had to wear the uniform, and she'd probably be wearing it until her very last day on the show. If anything, the uniform was a blessing. She still had her job, even though she knew her days were now numbered.

She reluctantly slipped the uniform on, thankful she wasn't showing yet. The silver cross necklace was the last piece of her costume, and as soon as it was on she was transformed. Now she really knew how Quinn felt, the tight material of the cheerios uniform clinging to the wrong places while the seemingly comfortable sneakers pressed hard against the arch of her foot. Looking in the mirror, she no longer saw the confident starlet she had once been, only a pretty girl with confidence issues and a secret that would soon become too large to be kept.

A knock came upon the door of Dianna's trailer and she told whoever it was that it was open, still standing in front of the mirror as she tightened her tiny cheerio's ponytail. Another figure joined her in the mirror, standing behind her as she made mindless adjustments to her costume, frowning at her reflection. Instead of looking at himself, he watched her actions, sensing that she was off from her usual personality. Usually bubbly and outgoing, she was reserved today, muttering a quiet hello before returning to her task. As she moved to grab something he pulled her back, standing behind her with his hands on her shoulders.

"Alright, what's wrong?" She paused, avoiding his gaze in the mirror. Of course he had seen right through her, he had a sixth sense for this sort of thing. Chris Colfer was, at this point, annoyingly prophetic.

"What?"

"You told me once that the uniform made you really feel like Quinn Fabray, that you felt every ounce of her fearless confidence in you when you wore it. Clearly that confidence isn't with you today."

"Maybe I'm just feeling the other side of her today." She hadn't meant to snap, but her words bore a harsh undertone that made the lean boy step back a bit, shaking his head.

"_That's _how I know something is wrong. Everyone's always saying I have this sixth sense and while I _am _good at reading people, it's not about that. It's about knowing a person so well that seeing any sort of change in them feels off. You're confident, sweet, and you're always there for someone when they need you, even if you're busy when they ask you. You're always willing to just drop everything to help someone, now it's your turn to stop being so stubborn and let someone help you."

"It's a long story, Chris."

"I have time. Sit there and just tell me all of your problems Lady Di." She sniffled in attempts to hold back the tears his little speech brought her and complied, moving to the couch in her trailer. He pulled up a chair across from her and crossed his leg, draping his arm over the back of the chair. "Now what's the problem?" She turned away from him, reluctant to let her secret slip. She and Chord had promised to keep it a secret for a while longer, but she couldn't deny the fact that Chris was being a good friend to her, and she'd need more than just Chord to pull her through this. Chord was being more than what she needed, but she knew she couldn't act too different around him. People were starting to pick things up, especially with Carlie's admittance earlier that morning. If she couldn't always be around Chord, then having someone like Chris around would be her second choice. "I don't bite." He joked, trying to lighten the tension that had filled the room. He wasn't trying to make things awkward, he was only trying to make her feel better.

"So you know the ring I started wearing when I got back from Tennessee? The one I told everyone I just picked up in a little shop?" She held her hand out in case he forgot but he nodded, letting his eyes linger on the sparkling diamond. "Well Chord got it for me. It's a promise ring." Chris put his hand on his heart and smiled wide, holding her hand and looking at the ring in a whole new light.

"That's so sweet! So wait, what's wrong with that?"

"Well since _he _got back from Tennessee we've sort of been living together. And dating. And….yeah. Anyway, I had been feeling crappy for a while so yesterday when he went out to get something I stayed home and it hit me. So I took a test, and…" She couldn't bring herself to say the words out loud. She had only said them once, when she had told Chord last night. Chris caught the meaning though, his eyes growing wide and trailing to her stomach against his own will. She looked down and covered it, suddenly feeling more self-conscious than she had been before.

"What happened? What did he say?"

"He said he'd be there for me, he was really sweet about the whole thing. But I can't be around him 24/7, people are already starting to talk."

"Well, it's a good thing you have me now." She cracked a smile and he pulled her into a hug as she laughed, feeling a lot better than he had that morning. "Now go and be the Quinn Fabray we all know and love."

"This should be easy, I'm more like her than most people know." She winked at him and then turned to leave, stopping when she realized she had forgotten something. "Thanks Chris." He nodded and let her be on her way, ready to take on the job of a best friend.


	3. Chapter 3

Sitting in makeup, Dianna squirmed uneasily in her chair. They were filming smaller scenes that day, the episode's group number coming at the end of the week. At two months she was still making it by in the same uniform she'd been wearing all season, going unnoticed due to the fact that everyone was always busy with something else. The only person who'd found out since Chris was Carlie from wardrobe, but that was Dianna's choice. Having someone like Carlie on the inside was helpful. Not once did Dianna regret her decision of letting the bubbly blonde know, especially since she already knew about her and Chord's relationship.

Carlie Reynolds started working on Glee around the second half of filming the first season. She was the definition of a little fish in a big pond, traveling all the way from small town Nebraska where she'd lived her whole life. She flew though beauty school as a top student, and quickly realized her talents were meant for more than just fixing her friends before they went out on Friday nights.

She was raised for the purpose of raising a family. She knew how much her parents wanted grandchildren, and being the oldest in a family of four she knew how much it would mean to them if she stayed and started a family. It was a big deal for her parents, but not at all for her. There was something else she wanted to do, and she was going to do it.

Her parents weren't supportive at all. They had thought beauty school was just a shortcut for her to start a family early, not the pathway to her dream job. She had to leave and so she did., packing her things and leaving a note by the fridge. It was the hardest thing she'd ever done, but the feel of the warm California air and the rush of traffic that hit her as she walked from the airport was the best feeling she'd ever experienced.

Originally she'd wanted to work for makeup. It was sort of her thing, rifling through bins for someone's proper color pallet or making the choice between natural or daring to fit a scene properly. She'd always thought it was her main talent, but apparently it was not. The head of the makeup department, upon seeing her for an interview, sent her straight to wardrobe. In their definition she was 'young, hip, and exactly the opinion wardrobe needed.' She settled in and quickly grew to love the job with its quirky costumes and kind-hearted people. Somehow she'd picked up the extra job of maintaining the Cheerio's uniforms, and that's how she'd met Dianna.

_Dianna rushed into wardrobe in the middle of a cold winter's afternoon, nodding to the regulars and running over to where Carlie was fixing a dance costume for the week's group number. She tapped her on the shoulder and Carlie turned around, her eyes immediately meeting a giant hole in the shoulder of Dianna's athletic turtleneck. _

"_How'd you do that?"_

"_I'm so sorry, I was walking and I wasn't really paying attention to where I was going and I got hooked to something and the next thing I know I feel cold air on my shoulder and I got told to come here to get a new one. I swear this doesn't happen a lot-" She was rambling and Carlie laughed, stopping her mid-sentence and grabbing the shoulder with the bad sleeve._

"_Fist off, calm down. It's just a sleeve, we'll get you a new shirt. This actually happens a lot, don't worry about it." She moved to the shelf of extra cheerios clothes and pulled out another turtleneck, handing it to Dianna and then patting her on the back. "It's alright, seriously." Dianna smiled and thanked her before moving to switch shirts, marveling at how Carlie knew she was freaking out about the whole thing. She decided that if she was ever going to rip another costume, she'd go straight to Carlie._

Today was a more difficult scene, another of Quinn getting into a girl fight. She had no idea who she was supposed to fight today, just that her character needed to get some better friends. Somehow, it seemed as though Quinn was becoming more aggressive and defensive this year, and she only expected it to be part of some hidden plot they were planning for her.

She arrived on set even more nervous than she had been when she was sitting in makeup, the extras getting set up in the hallway making her stomach churn. She was met with Chord, who held her hand and leaned down to whisper in her ear discreetly.

"Hey, you ok?" She looked up at him and nodded, taking a deep breath and then laughing at her own mediocre attempts to calm her nerves.

"I'm just nervous something's going to go wrong, like what if she gets a little too into it and bumps me like Ashley bumped Naya when they had to fight?"

"You don't have to do it if you're nervous, Di. We could go talk to Ryan right now if you want."

"No, not yet. It's too soon, I just have to suck it up." She squeezed his hand and he pulled her into a quick hug before she moved to the center of the circle of extras. He watched from the sidelines nervously as his girlfriend was tossed about by another cheerio, not able to do anything but stand by and see the flickering looks of distress quickly flashing across her face. The first take went well, but they kept going, insisting on doing take after take. On the fifth take she asked for a break, and Carlie made sure she was the first to see to her. Her hair was tousled and falling across her face, and the shirt of her uniform had begun to ride up. Carlie fixed that first, tugging it down gently before moving to her hair. Chord came over shortly and leaned against a locker, watching as the two interacted with each other.

"How are you feeling?" His girlfriend turned to him and put her hands on her hips, exhausted.

"Just tired, nothing more."

"If you get too tired just tell them you need to stop, I don't want you to overwork yourself." She smiled and moved to lean against him by the locker, lowering her voice although nobody would be able to hear them through the chaos of the scene.

"You're too sweet to me."

"Well I don't deserve you." He grinned and gently patted her back as she was called over to start the scene again.

"I think that's the other way around." She winked and made her way back to the center of the circle, more than motivated to get the scene right this time. Getting it right would mean not having to do it again, and that meant less strain on her already aching body.

As soon as they yelled cut, Dianna made a beeline for her trailer. She had an hour to relax until she was needed again, and she intended to make the most of that hour. She was walking fast, stepping cautiously on her bruised and swelling feet. Lea noticed this and began to follow her, calling her name from a distance. Dianna stopped and internally groaned, hoping the perky brunette didn't have plans for them during break. She put a warm smile on her face and waited for her best friend, walking at a steady pace once she'd caught up with her.

"Hey Di, are you on break?"

"Yeah, why?"

"I want to talk to you." Dianna could tell she was serious, and the look that had formed on Lea's face worried her. She led her to her trailer and invited her in, kicking off her shoes the second she stepped into the box that was like her little home. The hit the wall with a pang and she sighed, letting her bare feet sink into the shag rug she'd bought to make her trailer feel more homey. Dianna sat on the couch next to Lea and there was a tense moment of silence, neither knowing what to say to start the conversation. It was Lea who broke the silence, eyes watering with unshed tears. "You know I'm your best friend right?" Dianna softened at Lea's tears and rubbed her back, trying to get her to calm down. She spoke to her in a gentle, nurturing tone.

"Of course I do, LeLe. You've been my best friend for a while now. What's wrong?"

"You know you can tell me anything, right?" Dianna's eyes moved down to her lap in guilt and she played with her hands, listening to her friend's sniffling with despondency.

"You know?"

"I know something's wrong with you and you're keeping it a secret, and I'm sorry if this is being too pushy but I can help you if you tell me what's wrong. That's what best friends are for. And I didn't want to believe it but you've been sort of drifting lately and I just wanted to know if it was something I did."

"Oh my god, no. No, it's not your fault, you didn't do anything. If anything it's my fault for not telling you but I've kind of been trying to keep it a secret from everyone, it's not something I'm just ready to announce." She paused and hugged Lea, then, pulling away, took a deep breath and prepared to tell her the truth. "But I think it's time you knew."

"Knew what?"

"I'm pregnant. Chord and I are." Lea's jaw dropped in shock and she hugged her best friend, pulling back to face her stomach.

"Hi little baby! I'm Lea, your favorite aunt." She laughed and then hugged her again. "I'm so sorry, I'm such a jerk. I shouldn't have expected the worst."

"Don't be sorry, it's my fault for not telling you. You're my best friend, you deserve to know."

"You're going to be such a good mom."

"I hope so." She laughed and Lea got up to leave, apologizing and promising she'd let Dianna nap. Dianna got up from the couch too, slipping on some more comfortable shoes before following Lea from her trailer.

"What are you doing?"

"Spending quality time with my best friend on our break." They grinned and linked arms, heading over to get lunch before they had to act as if they were enemies again.


	4. Chapter 4

She starts to really feel the baby at a little over three months. She's still working, and that day they're doing the large group number of the week. Dianna's once again overjoyed with the fact that she doesn't have to carry the burden of a gaudy, uncomfortable costume and pulls on her black pants smiling in relief. Carlie's found her a pair that's exactly the same as the others, only with an elastic band so they're easier to pull over her just barely protruding bump. She likes going unnoticed, but resents rehearsals like these.

Zach and Brook are drilling them back and forth, firing commands on either side of the cast as they go through the simple steps they learned earlier that week. It's the last sort of rehearsal before they film the scene, and they want to make sure they get everything perfect. Quinn even has a little solo moment, and as it's her turn to come on Dianna steps up in pride, mouthing the words along with the recording while turning in time to the music. She goes a bit slower than she was taught, more than nervous about spinning in the heels she's wearing. Zach stops the song and they have to start over, Dianna trying to go faster the next time around. The blonde still isn't going fast enough, and Zach starts them over again, giving her clear instructions to do the spin like he's asked. Dianna tries not to roll her eyes and complies, adding a little unnecessary snap along with the twirl. He doesn't stop, though, and she finishes the song relatively unscathed.

They get a small break before they have to film and she immediately has Chord checking up on her. She smiles as she sees him make his way over to her from the other side of the room, and before she can ask she tells him she's fine. Dianna sits in one of the theater seats and watches as the crew sets up for their number, testing the lights and sound systems as Zach paces in back of the stage, undoubtedly going over the steps in his head again. Chord sits next to her and watches along with her, laughing as Darren begins to mimic Zach's pacing, receiving a light-hearted smack from their choreographer before running off to find something else to entertain himself. Lea and Chris soon join them, both eager to talk to the soon-to-be parents.

"Hey mommy, feeling alright?" They know Chris is coming by the unmistakable tone in his voice and Dianna whips around, giving him a semi-nasty look while miming the zipping of her lips.

"Chris! Not here, not everyone knows and I sort of love my job too much to let it go this soon." She doesn't realize how harsh she's been until Chris's face falls, and she immediately snaps out of it to give him a quick hug. "I'm fine, though. Zach's just killing me and these heels are a bitch." She gestures to a pair of strappy black stilettos sprawled across the aisle in front of her. Her feet are dangling from the chair, happy for their newfound freedom. They're already beginning to swell, and Dianna starts to think she'll grow a shoe size if this dance continues much longer.

Filming goes much better than the actual rehearsal. Zach and Brook have to stand on the sidelines quietly, so there's not much nagging from either as the cast performs their dance. Next to Dianna, Kevin sings along with the song quietly, wheeling around the group in his wheelchair. She's the one who's been assigned to wheeling him in the number, but she has the privilege of waiting until the very last chorus to help him. She performs her spin perfectly and moves to grab hold of his wheelchair, but stops dead in her tracks. One hand is on Kevin's shoulder, the other on her stomach. She gasps and flicks back into character but the damage is already done. The director yells cut and looks straight at her, drawing everyone else's attention as well. Dianna immediately removes her hand from her stomach and stares straight back at the director, ready for whatever comment he has for her now. He simply shrugs and moves to set up again, instructing them to take it from the top. Her hand is still on Kevin's shoulder and he turns to face her, quirking his eyebrow at her.

"Am I too heavy for you?" His tone is lighthearted as they move to their first position and Dianna laughs, grabbing both handles of the wheelchair to prove him wrong.

"No, I just froze up a little." Kevin's known her long enough to know that she's lying but he doesn't tell her that. He knows it must be for a good reason so he just sits back in his wheelchair and smiles at the other cast members as they pass.

"Are you sure?"

"I'm fine, Bee." She hates lying but she does anyway, setting herself up to start the number again.

When all is said and done and the director yells cut for the last time, she rips the heels from her feet in triumph, letting them dangle from her hands as she walks quickly across the stage on her bare feet. On her way by she catches Chord's arm and he follows her, looking down at her bright smile curiously. She stops around a corner, where their surroundings are quiet and people are scarce. Dianna grabs both of his hands and squeezes them hard, her eyes lighting up.

"He _kicked_!"

"What?"

"The baby, it kicked!" Before she knows it she's wrapped in a hug of celebration, Chord trying not to squeeze too hard. After all, his son or daughter is in there and he's never been happier.

They go home late that night, exhausted from a grueling day of dancing. When they get into the apartment their stuff is thrown on the nearest table, Dianna immediately collapsing on the couch. Chord joins her a minute later holding a glass of her favorite juice and a bowl of popcorn, pulling a blanket over both of them. Shifting positions, she moves so her head is on his chest and turns the TV to a random movie channel, yawning as she feels the subtle beginnings of sleep was over her. Chord sets their food down and moves one hand around her waist, draping it across her stomach. He notices her eyes drooping and laughs, dropping a light kiss on her forehead before returning to the movie.

It's a strange independent film, the plot drifting back and forth between sci-fi and romance, and he finds it hard to follow. He's distracted by the girl resting peacefully next to him, not quite asleep and struggling to stay awake. As the credits begin to roll her breathing is deep and regular, her eyes shut gently. Her mouth is agape and she's leaning on him more than she had been before, gripping the blanket he's draped over them and pulling it up to her chin. He smiles gently, pushing a few loose strands of her hair that are covering her face before moving his hands gently under her tiny frame, picking her up while trying not to wake her. In this moment she looks peaceful, as if she's in the middle of a fantastic dream she'll be disappointed about waking up from the next day. The blanket shifts from her grip and exposes her stomach, Chord stopping to take it in. She's growing, he can't deny it. As he lays her down on their bed he traces the thin beginnings of a silvery stretch mark, placing a gentle kiss on her stomach before getting ready to move. He feels a light jolt of movement against his hand and stops, wondering if he was imagining things.

From her place on the bed Dianna stirs lightly from her sleep, opening her eyes just well enough to see her boyfriend's surprised face looking down at her stomach.

"You felt it too?" He is pulled out of his trance by her soft, tired voice and he looks at her, nodding his head as a smile spreads across his face. He climbs into bed next to her and kisses her ear, pulling the covers over himself.

"I love you." He pauses and then moves his hand to her stomach again, rubbing it soothingly. "Both of you."


	5. Chapter 5

Chord waited as the phone rang, drumming his fingers impatiently on the glass-top coffee table. The smell of stir-fry vegetables fizzing in their pan wafted through the air toward him and he breathed deep through his nose, gratefully letting it sink in. He leaned back against the couch and turned so he was facing the kitchen. Dianna was at the stove, her back turned to him so she didn't notice his movement, her mind completely focused on the task at hand. Her short blonde hair had been pulled away from her face in a tiny ponytail and she stood with her weight shifting to one side, trying to blow a loose strand of hair away from her face. Her stomach, increasingly noticeable as the days wore on, could now be seen through the risen hem of her yellow t-shirt, a favorite she wore often around the apartment. Chord was set in a trance, her seemingly simple actions causing his gaze to remain fixated on her as she continued to putter around the kitchen.

He was still holding his phone to his ear, and a masculine voice was what finally pulled him out of his reverie. He got up from the couch, pacing as he talked to the man on the other line.

"Yeah, I was wondering if it would be possible for me to get the day off on Thursday of next week. That or an extended lunch?" There was a shuffling sound and then a soft, irritated sighing.

"I'll see what I can do, we already gave Dianna the day." Chord rolled his eyes as the old information reached him, adding a convincing tone of surprise to his voice.

"Oh, really? I'm sorry, I would do another day but I booked an eye appointment a year back without knowing and they just called me today to confirm. I could reschedule but their schedule is always jam-packed." To say the least he knew it was a pretty lame excuse, but it was the best he had come up with on such sort notice. There was more rustling of papers and then the man cleared his throat.

"Alright, I can give you the day. We'll just have to shoot you and Dianna's scene on Friday."

As Dianna set their plates on the table she caught the very end of their conversation, only able to hear one side but still catching enough to cause her face to light up in triumph. When he hung up she was standing on one side of the table, smiling wide as ever. He grinned back and sat down, digging into his dinner appreciatively. At first she didn't join him, performing unneeded tasks as she bounced around the kitchen. Finally, he stopped eating and gave her a playful glare, pointing to the chair across from him while trying to hide his smile. She pouted and complied, sitting in the chair and starting to eat. Her excitement still couldn't be contained, though, and before she even took her second bite she looked up at him, her eyes twinkling with childlike wonder.

"A week from today!"

"I know, it's exciting."

"And you got the day off. The whole day." He shook his head, still in disbelief at the situation.

"I still don't know how I managed to pull that off, but I'll take it." Dinner was quiet, the pair having arrived home earlier than usual that night. They had been told by the directors that they wouldn't be needed, and they took the unusual opportunity to spend the night in. Naya, Heather, Amber and a few of their other cast mates who had also been let go early had gone out, prodding them to come along.

"It'll be fun, when was the last time we all went out together?" Naya was following her back to her trailer as Heather trailed Chord, the two on a mission to get the ever-drifting pair out for the night. It was proving to be difficult, though, and Dianna shook her head as she opened the door of her trailer. Not waiting for an invitation Naya followed her in, plopping herself on Dianna's couch as she moved around the trailer to gather her things.

"We all went out Monday. I'm sorry Nay, I'm just not feeling up to it tonight."

"Why?" Naya was whining like a child now, rolling on the couch so she faced Dianna. "Do you have a date?"

"Maybe I do, maybe I don't." The blonde turned to face her, miming the zipping of her lips before throwing the key away.

"Stop acting so cryptic, we all know you don't just carpool with him." She tries to hide her laugh but still snickers, having taken Naya's words the complete wrong way. The Latina catches this and throws a pillow at Dianna, missing by a thread as she ducks at just the right moment.

Chord unwillingly lets Heather into his trailer and like Naya, the blonde makes herself comfortable as he begins to look for the few things he'd brought to set that day.

"So…." She begins, drawing out the syllable and then pausing for a bit, twirling her long blonde hair around her finger. "Why won't you come with us?"

"Sorry HeMo, I have plans."

"How can you have plans when we just found out we were being let out early like, less than two minutes ago?" Her hands were on her hips and she'd assumed angry mother bear mode, something none of the cast mates had ever wanted to see. When Heather got upset she'd talk to you until she'd convinced you to change your mind, even if it meant staying mad at you for a while.

"I'm just good like that." He scoffed and puffed his chest out in mock vanity, managing to crack a smile from Heather. She poked his chest, laughing.

"No, but seriously. Do you and Di just not love us anymore?" She was the one who was joking, channeling her inner dramatic as her lips formed a giant pout.

"No, we do! We just were kind of hoping…" He stopped himself, realizing that Heather was one of the many who still had no idea about them. That is, other than the fact that they carpooled. "Wait, Dianna's not going either?"

"Way to be subtle, smart-ass." She started to the door, ready to leave him alone but turned around. "By the way, pretty much everyone besides Ryan knows, and if they don't know they suspect." Heather shuts his door behind her and he's left looking after her in horror. As the lean blonde dancer walks to meet Naya, she doesn't realize that he was thinking about something completely different.

They flip through magazines impatiently as they wait for her name to be called. It's early in the morning, and the only other people in the room are the receptionist and another older couple, this one much older than them. Chord gets half-way through an article and then stops, placing it back on the table in front of them. They've been in the office for a little under twenty minutes, and they're both becoming restless. The door opens and both couples look up, but it's Chord and Dianna they call. Chord shoots up from his seat, eager to move around again. As they meet the woman at the door her face flickers in recognition but she hides it, wanting to keep a professional profile. They aren't the first famous couple she's seen, but by far they're the most exciting.

She leads them to a room farther away than most, through hallway after hallway until they're sure they'll be unable to find their way back to the front desk. It's painted a very light blue, so one would have to look at it for a while to see its aqua tints amongst the cotton white that stands more visibly over it. As she changes into the little robe they give her, her anxiousness begins to set in. She sits back on the chair and swings her legs, looking around the room as they wait once more. Chord's nervous too, the cool back of the metal folding chair against his bare arms causing him to shiver. They lock eyes and laugh a nervous laugh, trying to relieve the room's newfound tension.

Her doctor is an older woman with shoulder length brown hair, oval glasses set on the peak of her nose. She's holding a clipboard and she smiles as she walks in, setting it on a table as she grabs a chair to pull up next to Dianna. Her routine questions are normal; things she's been eating, pains she's been experiencing, and so on. She answers them with ease until it feels more like a conversation and less like an appointment, Dianna finally settling into the chair and relaxing a bit. She gets anxious again when the doctor holds up a little wand shaped device, wheeling a monitor towards them as she motions for Chord to come closer.

The blue gel is as cold as everyone's made it out to be, and it feels strange against her once warm stomach. She jumps a little at the touch and Chord grabs a hold of her hand, rubbing with his thumb as he tries to relax her. It's not long before they hear a little thumping, and then it seems as though the rest of the room goes silent. He can hear the mumbling of the doctor's voice as she explains where legs and arms are, but it is drowned out by the thumping of his baby's heart. He watches the monitor as she moves the wand along Dianna's stomach, the baby coming in and out of his view and then staying stationary. He smiles wide and Dianna squeezes his hand, carrying his attention from the screen to his girlfriend. She reaches up and presses her small hands against his face, wiping away a tear he hadn't even realized he'd cried.

"It's…" She was at a loss of words, unsure of how to describe the little life that was inside of her. In a few months, she'd be able to hold the child they'd made together; they'd be a family. She watched the monitor as the baby's hands moved, trying to picture the tiny being inside of her. "Perfect."


	6. Chapter 6

Lea sat at the kitchen table in her apartment. Her legs, unable to touch the floor, dangled from the semi-comfortable wooden chair she was in. A small cluster of papers were spread around her laptop, most printed off of various websites she'd visited. Atop the stacks was a single envelope, addressed to Dianna but given to Lea. It lay unopened in front of her, taunting Lea as her gaze flickered to it once more. Lea reminded herself that Dianna had trusted her of all people with this task, and she was going to do it right.

At a little over five months and still hiding, Dianna felt as though her ability to remain secretive would soon have to come to an end. Throughout her first few months, she was consumed only with thoughts of time; How much time until the next appointment? How long will this scene last? How long can I hide? Now, as she pulled on a loose t-shirt and a pair of stretch jeans, she realized that clock was ticking down fast. She'd made it this far because of the cast mates who knew and the ever-working Carlie, who did their best to conceal her every day.

It was Saturday, the day before they had gone to Dianna's five-month appointment. Chord remembered to plan it for a weekend, thankful they were open and able to take them so he wouldn't have to make any more excuses to take time off. They weren't nervous like the first time, only anxious. Soon enough, they'd find out the sex of

their baby.

There had been a subtle change between the two since Dianna found out she was pregnant. Chord, madly in love and true to his word, had become so much more than her sweet, goofy boyfriend. He'd gone from wanting to spend their free time to hang out with the others to savoring every minute alone with her. He read baby books at night and discreetly scrolled through lists of names during his breaks. She joined him, and as they spent the night leafing through pamphlets she truly noticed just how different they'd become. It was a good change, though, and she relished it. They didn't have to say anything to know what the other was thinking. They could sit in silence comfortably, not having to talk or try to impress, just be. Dianna knew that Chord had a peculiar dislike for peppers, but loved them when they were in her stir-fry. He knew that Dianna sang Adele in the shower and kept a spare apartment key in a drawer of her trailer. She loved the way he would let her have strange pets if she wanted and the way he was so close to his family, while he was amazed at how well she meshed with them. Instead of being Chord and Dianna, they had become a single entity, and she happily melted into her new existence.

The five-month appointment went almost the same as their two-month, only this time they were asked if they'd like the know the gender of their baby. They told the doctor their plan and walked out of her office with a sealed envelope, smiling wide with their newfound anticipation.

That envelope was now in Lea's purse, the very thought of it toying with her levels of self-control as she walked down West Sunset Boulevard. She was on a mission given to her by Dianna herself, although she had sort of begged to be the one to do it.

"I can do it for you." Lea sat in her marked chair in-between takes as Dianna explained the idea to her.

"Are you sure? Larks is sort of out of the way, and I'll already be there picking up food and decorations."

"No, I want to. You can give me a list and I'll pick up the other things too." Dianna was hesitant, not wanting to make her friend do everything. Noticing this, a very willing and eager Lea realized she'd probably have to push a bit more to convince her. "It could be an early shower gift to you…Besides, won't you guys be busy setting up back home?"

"All week?"

"Well, not all week. But there's still plenty of other things you can do the rest of the time…"

Her persuasion skills first brought her to the phone ordering what she would need for Friday of that week. Friday was spent shopping, ending with a little bakery on the corner of the street. She slipped the envelope over the counter to the cashier, saying her name and what she'd ordered. The cashier, the first person to open the envelope since the doctor had sealed it, smiled and brought it to the back room, returning with Lea's order.

The cake itself was simple, round with white fondant covering its circumference. On its top, in curly lettering, it read "It's A…" The lettering was surrounded by two green pea-pods made out of modeling chocolate, and fondant polka dots to match. When the cake was cut, they'd know what the gender was. On one of her insomnia-filled nights, Lea had come across the idea while watching Food Network. Pink cake meant they'd be having a girl, and blue a boy. Nobody knew what kind of cake it was but the chefs, Lea having ordered one of each and telling the woman to bring her only the one of the gender that was on the card. It was a strange order, but she figured it'd be nice to give back to one of the few all-vegan bakeries in Los Angeles. Now all Lea had to do was deliver it and wait until it was cut.

The second part of Lea's assignment had been more difficult than the first. She'd started Monday, and it had taken her all the way into Thursday night to finish. Initially it'd seemed incredibly easy; contact the cast members and invite them over to Chord and Dianna's on Friday. Lea learned that they were all a little more nosy than she'd expected, and those that weren't had a million new stories to tell her. Mark was second on the list, and she assumed he was being difficult just to mess with her.

"Whose house?"

"Chord's. Well, Chord and Dianna's. Is Friday good?"

"Wait, they live together now?"

"Where have you been?"

"Under a rock? I don't know. How long has this been going on? Why didn't he tell me?" Lea sighed and tapped her foot as Mark continued to ramble on the other line, asking her question after question. She still had a list full of people to call, and she was losing her patience already.

"Oh my god can you just come?" She heard him snicker on the other line and put her face in her hand, rolling her eyes.

"Answer my question first."

"Does it really matter?"

"Sort of, yeah. Chord's my bro and he didn't tell me any of this." Casting her eyes in the list again, she picked up a pen and scribbled a question mark next to his name.

"Text me your answer when you're done crying about your bromance 'cheating' on you, Mark."

It was a long week, but her work had paid off. When she got to Chord and Dianna's apartment, everyone they'd wanted to come was there. She set the cake on the counter and soon after felt a pair of arms hug her from the side.

"I can't thank you enough. Seriously, this is amazing." Dianna was gushing as Lea's gaze swept across the apartment. Their tight-knit cast-family milled around the apartment happily, chatting in groups and eating as they wondered why they had been called to the party. They got their answer when dinner was over, Dianna beginning to explain their situation as Chord brought out the cake.

Initially, the group had the same reaction, nobody really knowing what to say. Amber broke their silence and stillness, hugging both of them in excitement. She caused a chain reaction, an infectious group hug forming around a very proud Chord and an emotional Dianna. The let her go to cut the cake, and as the first slice was cut the room filled with eager silence. A blue piece of cake made its way onto a plate and the group smiled, firing names back and forth as they ate. In four months, Chord and Dianna would be having a little boy.


	7. Chapter 7

Monday morning brought the cast of Glee to a new building, on location to film a musical number. It was odd; they usually filmed their dance numbers at the end of the week, but they had the song recorded last week as well as the dance completely memorized. They had to, Monday being the only day the venue was available.

The concept of the episode was supposed to be dreams and ambitions, so they were currently at a newer theatre that had been constructed in downtown Los Angeles. It was well above par as far as its looks and size, making it seem like it belonged in New York City rather than Los Angeles. There were many more than one-thousand seats, and a balcony section like those depicted in cliché movies where the main characters visit the opera and have some sort of classic blunder. There was a touch of old Roman deco to it, columns along the walls adding a classier touch. On the backs of all of the seats were screens-most theatres holding operas have these to translate the singer's Italian vibrato for the audience, who would otherwise sit there in confusion.

Although only Amber, Lea, and Chris were singing today, they still considered this the biggest number they'd be doing on the show. The rest of the cast would be backup and posing as other characters on the stage as well as in the audience. Dianna was completely unfamiliar with the show, so the costumes the rest of the cast had been put in seemed a bit outlandish to her. Some were over dramatized, half-human half-animals while others were simply far too confusing for her to guess. Lea, Amber, and Chris were dressed as normal humans, a few of the luckier people that day. She could also consider herself lucky, though. She was wearing a long trench coat and sunglasses, her only job being to watch Chord's character fawn over Lea's in the dream sequence.

When the scene started, Lea, Amber, and Chris were already on stage, posing as they watched the rest of the cast strut around them in their ridiculous costumes. Dianna and Chord were in the front row of the theatre, a pair of younger kids next to them posing as their own. As Lea moved toward them to sing her solo part Chord reacted accordingly, fanning himself as Dianna looked on in jealously, steering their children away in distaste. For the rest of the scene she didn't have to do anything but watch as her friends over-played their parts by Zach's orders. From her place next to him, she could tell he was loving every second of the strange, other-worldly dance number he'd choreographed, his face lighting up with their every movement.

As she watched her friends sweating and straining themselves to get the number just right, she couldn't help but be thankful for the fact that she was done for the time being, her simple role only needing a few takes. Dianna was especially glad she wasn't Heather, the girl always assigned the hardest, most strenuous parts of any routine. Somehow, though, she always managed to pull it off flawlessly, more than often stealing the show. She certainly was now, pulling off some sort of flip before resuming her statue form as Lea walked by her. By now, Dianna was completely captivated by the on-stage action, not knowing exactly who to watch. Each person was assigned specific little things to do, Heather's flip between mobile and immobile just one. Kevin transported people on his wheelchair, and Jenna was being lifted in the air by the cause of carrying too many helium balloons at one time. That didn't pause the action of the scene though, Lea, Amber, and Chris's characters strolling along completely unaware of the action behind them. Or in this case, right in front of them.

Half-way through their run, Dianna felt something strange well up in the pit of her stomach. Dropping her head between her legs, she tried desperately to make it go away, not wanting to interrupt their almost perfect take. When she dared to move her head back up, the room began to spin and she closed her eyes, gripping the arm of her chair while willing the feeling to pass. It only continued to well up, faster and faster until she realized she couldn't make it go away. Springing from her chair, she threw a hasty apology to Zach as she ran for the bathroom, trying to keep herself low key. Her efforts were in vain, and Chord chased after her as the rest of the cast looked on, not sure what to say as they were confronted with Zach's irate yet increasingly curious glances. When two minutes had gone by and neither of the two had come back, he called a break and followed after Chord and Dianna.

She leaned over the porcelain as her abs pulled themselves in again, any ounce of solid food she'd had that morning deciding it wasn't totally ready to be consumed. As she felt the wave of nausea finally wash over her she sat on the floor, not caring that it was dirty and she was wearing clothes that weren't her own. Dianna was crying, little beads of sweat forming on her forehead from the effort, completely drained of the energy she'd had more than enough of when she'd arrived that morning. The toilet flushed next to her and Chord sat back down, pulling her into his lap as she tried to collect herself.

"I'm sorry." She was quiet, talking with a voice that had been choked with tears and damaged with the acid he'd just flushed down the toilet.

"Why are you sorry?"

"I'm ruining your life." She looked down, suddenly interested in the plainly tiled floor as she mumbled her reply. At first he was taken aback, sitting in silence and watching her turn away from him. She was still in his lap, so he turned her, putting his finger under her chin and propping it up so Dianna could look at him properly.

"Listen to me." At first Chord's tone was harsh, him wanting to get his point across completely. Her face flickered with something he thought was fear so he stopped, letting go of her chin and speaking more softly. "You are not ruining my life, nor will you ever ruin my life. My life has been ten times better from the day you walked into it, and when our little boy comes it will be one-hundred times better. There hasn't been a day since this started that I've regretted anything. There never will be. I love you, Dianna. I always will." At this point she had cried all of the tears she could, and all that was left was the feeling of her heart swelling in her chest, an unbreakable smile making its way to her lips. She leaned in to kiss him and then stopped, giggling as she pulled away before even making contact.

"I'm a mess."

"But you're my mess." After brushing off her coat and fixing her hair, Dianna took Chord's hand and they walked from the bathroom together, leaving their worries behind them.

It wasn't until much later that they were addressed by none other than Zach, who asked them to come to one of the head's offices to have a chat. The two blondes looked at each other nervously and agreed, once again leaving their worried friends behind them as they made the trek down a hall that had never seemed so long. When they got there, it seemed as if everyone who was supposed to be there had made it. Ryan was at the head of the table, the scary step-father figure who was a little too rough on his children. Zach was the cool uncle, Brad the temperamental biological father. Ian sat on the other side of the two, the passive grandfather figure who currently had no opinion on the matter, and honestly probably had no idea what was going on anyway. He was the only one who didn't look up when Zach led them in, and the only one who honestly seemed disinterested. At this point, Dianna was shaky from nerves as well as the loss of food, and she sat down exhausted and just wanting to go home. There was a brief moment of silence, nobody wanting to be the first to break the ice besides Ryan, who cleared his throat in a foul manner.

"Do you want to tell me what's going on? Because your story's really not looking good right now." He crossed his arms on top of the table in a way to look intimidating, but neither of the two bought it, too occupied with the way the rooms fluorescent light hit the top of his head-a perfect distraction.

"Listen," Chord shifted in his seat, speaking directly to Ryan. "It may not be as big of a deal as you're making it out to be. Our characters are graduating soon anyways, it's only a matter of time."

"Graduating does not mean that you're all leaving, I've made that perfectly clear to both of you and the rest of your cast mates."

"To be perfectly honest with you, you didn't." The other heads in the room popped up at this, intrigued with the fact that someone had finally contradicted Ryan. "All three of you are saying three totally different things, and it's been hard enough to keep up as it is. One moment I'm fired and the next I'm not graduating with the rest of them. It's not really fair to those of us who want to start planning another job while we still can."

"What's not fair is your ignorance and your blatant disregard for the rules, Mr. Overstreet." They had never seen him like this before. He was boiling, his fist slammed on the table as he talked. Dianna quivered and all Chord could do was sneak his hand over to hers under the table, not wanting to upset him any more. "You're lucky I'm not firing you right here and now."

"Ryan…" It was Zach who spoke now, sitting up in his chair two spaces away from Ryan. "What I came across in that bathroom was two people who loved each other; a woman in distress and a man who would clearly do anything for her. What I came across when I got back to the stage was a cast full of people who were worried sick about them. There are people who would lay their jobs on the line for them, and there are people who already have. If you fire them it'll just be a waste of your time because I can tell you right now that your own cast will get to you if the fans don't first." Another long, awkward silence followed Zach's little speech, tension ballooning through the room and filling it until that's all that was left in the air. Chord and Zach locked eyes across the table and the actor nodded gratefully at the choreographer, giving Dianna's hand a squeeze in reassurance. Finally Ryan sighed in agitated defeat and shook his head.

"Fine. But this doesn't mean the two of you are completely off the hook. Dianna now has to set her last day, and we'll be negotiating contracts a few days before break anyway so we won't have to set up another meeting for you, Chord." He got up from his chair and left the room with his assistant hastily trailing behind him, writing dates down on a little black notebook as Ryan rambled to him.

They left the room in silence, holding hands as Dianna leaned on him for support. If Ryan knew, there was no point hiding it now. Besides, Chord thought, they were lucky to even have jobs at this point.


End file.
